Advanced Culinary Arts

Would you like to improve your creativity and take your culinary skills to the next level? Designed for culinary professionals, this high-level specialization program will give you the best tools to move up the gastronomy ladder quickly.

Overview

A logical continuation of the DVS in Cuisine (Professional Cooking), the Cuisine supérieure program is designed for cooks who wish to specialize in gourmet cuisine. Top instructors, the finest equipment and ingredients as well as the chance to perfect your skills in France in a starred restaurant: Cuisine supérieure offers only the best! 

Program key elements

• High-end culinary specialization program   
• Access to the Québec’s finest local products
• Master classes with renowned chefs
• Visit of local producers and artisans
• A 3-month internship, in France, at a Michelin-starred or Relais & Châteaux establishment
• Enrichment course in culinary creativity
• Experienced and passionate instructors

Lift your culinary bar and reach new heights!

What you will learn
Creativity, know-how, precision

• Discovery of Québec’s fine products
• Culinary trends
• Mastery of new food technologies and tasting techniques
• Bakery
• Charcuterie
• Plated desserts
• Food and wine pairing
• Menu creation and recipe standardization

Program structure and courses

Duration and schedule

• Program starting in the fall and winter  
• Spread over 9 months on a full-time basis (1 course session, 1 3-month internship and 1 synthesis activity)   
• Includes a total of 1 060 hours, including 552 hours of coursework and 508 hours of compulsory internships (ministerial program totalling 525 hours) 
• Daytime courses and practical applications in the evening 

Hands-on experience

Compulsory internships:

• 2-week (68 h) unpaid internship in a recognized Québec establishment
• 3-month (440 h) unpaid (rewarded and usually including room and board) internship in France, within the brigade of a Michelin-starred or Relais & Châteaux establishment 

Practical applications:

• Realization of 2 major gastronomic events
• Participation in culinary competitions and various gastronomic activities
• Three-week synthesis activity at the ITHQ, including a week of visits to various producers

Diploma

• Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS) in Cuisine supérieure – Programme Signature from the Ministère de l’Éducation
• ITHQ Signature certificate in Cuisine supérieure

Admission

Admission application periods

Admission requirements

To be eligible for this program, you must:

• • Have accumulated at least 500 hours of relevant and recent cooking work experience in a high-end restaurant environment, acquired through an internship or paid employment and supported by official employment certificates. 
  • Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written French. 
  • Demonstrate your culinary skills using one of the following 2 options: 

Option 1 – Application based on studies

• Hold a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Cuisine (Professional Cooking) or equivalent training outside Québec. 

Option 2 – Application based on relevant work experience

• Hold a Secondary School Diploma (SSD) or equivalent (Attestation of Equivalence of Secondary Studies (AESS) or a diploma obtained outside Québec), AND 
• Have accumulated at least 2,000 hours of recent cooking work experience, specifically in the food processing sector.   

Selection criteria

The selection of applications also takes into account the following criteria:  

• Academic file 
• Related training 
• Relevant professional experience, supported by official employment certificates 

To maximize your chances of selection, we strongly encourage you to attach all supporting documents to your application. 

Required documents

Here is the list of documents you must include with your application depending on your status:

Admission application procedure

• Applicants must ensure that they meet the program’s admission requirements before submitting their application.      
• Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.       
• For your admission file to be considered complete, it must contain a copy of all the official documents required by the ITHQ in accordance with your status, as listed above.
• These documents must be legible and saved in PDF format. Documents in a language other than French or English must also be accompanied by a certified translation into French or English.            
• Some documents required by the ITHQ may not be requested automatically on the admission platform. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that all the documents on the list in accordance with your status have been uploaded to your file before submitting your application.  

Costs and financial aid

Program fees

Use the program fee calculator to find out about the costs of this program.

Financial aid and scholarships

Looking for financial support for your study project? Find out about the different options available to you.  

Learn more

Future prospects

A profile in high demand

Candidates trained in high-end gastronomy continue to be in high demand in the job market. There has also been a significant improvement in the working conditions and wages offered by employers. With this specialization, you will not only be able to access positions in Québec’s most renowned establishments, but also abroad.